Sponsor or institution
Clinical trials and research at Ada Forsyth Institute, INC.
As of November 12, 2026, Find a Trial lists 49 NIH-funded research projects at this institution, with $27.0 million in listed awards. Every study is explained in plain English. Data from ClinicalTrials.gov and NIH RePORTER, updated November 12, 2026.
- 49NIH research projects
NIH-funded research (newest 40 of 49)
Early-stage science funded by the US National Institutes of Health. Most of these projects don't enroll patients, but they show what is being worked on.
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From Symbiosis to Dysbiosis: How Resolving Inflammation Could Restore Your Mouth’s Balance
This grant explores how turning off the harmful inflammation in periodontitis and promoting natural healing could help restore the mouth’s healthy balance.
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Foundation for the Oral Microbiome and Metagenome
A research initiative to create and share high-quality genomic data and bacterial isolates from the mouth so scientists can understand how oral microbes affect overall health, including brain aging and diseases like Alzheimer's.
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Caries resistance in Indigenous children: what protects their teeth
This project looks at why some high-risk Indigenous children have fewer cavities and how oral bacteria and tooth biology might work together to prevent decay.
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Gut and saliva health: using gut bacteria to help Sjögren's syndrome
A study tests whether manipulating gut bacteria or their byproducts can protect and improve saliva gland function in people with Sjögren’s syndrome.
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Understanding TM7 bacteria in the mouth and how they affect gum disease
This grant studies TM7 bacteria in the human mouth to learn how they interact with other bacteria and influence gum inflammation.
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Spatial Organization of the Oral Microbiome
A research project at a leading medical institute studies how the tiny mouth bacteria are arranged in the tongue and teeth and how this arrangement affects mouth and overall health.
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MicroRNA roles in TMJ health and disease and how they shape jaw cartilage
A patient-focused study exploring how tiny genetic molecules called microRNAs help keep the jaw joint healthy or contribute to TMJ disease, with potential for new, more personalized treatments.
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Long-lasting dental restorations with hydrolysis-resistant resin networks
A new kind of dental resin could make fillings last longer and resist decay by using durable, anti-bacteria materials.
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Virtual twin-powered rapid development of bioactive dental restoratives
Aims to create a smart platform and new dental materials that are long-lasting, easy to use, and work well in real-world dental care without complex equipment.
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Aging cells and salivary gland problems in Sjögren's
This project aims to see if getting rid of aged 'senescent' cells can help salivary glands work better for people with Sjögren's.
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Preventing neural tube defects by targeting Wnt signaling and maternal treatments
This research looks at how Wnt signaling and maternal interventions might stop neural tube defects like spina bifida in babies.
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How alternative beta‑catenin signals help teeth form
This project looks at special beta‑catenin signals that guide tooth development to help people born with missing teeth.
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Understanding how P. gingivalis builds its protective capsule and surface lipids
Researchers are studying how the mouth bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis makes its capsule and surface lipids, which may influence gum disease and heart health.
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Genes guiding skull and face bone growth
This project learns how genes and special stem cells control skull and facial bone growth to help people with skull-shape problems like craniosynostosis.
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Caries resistance in high-risk Indigenous children
This project looks at why some Indigenous children stay less likely to get cavities, by studying mouth bacteria, saliva, and tooth material to find natural protective factors.
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Host tsRNAs: Tiny RNA messengers shaping our oral microbes
A researcher is studying tiny saliva-borne RNAs that may influence how our mouth bacteria behave and interact with our body’s defenses.
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How TM7 (Saccharibacteria) and their partner bacteria affect gum disease and inflammation
Researchers are looking at whether tiny TM7 bacteria and the Actinomyces they attach to change how gum disease and inflammation happen in people with periodontitis.
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Stronger, longer-lasting dental fillings
This research is creating new materials for dental fillings and adhesives that will last longer and fight decay better for people needing dental restorations.
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New Dental Fillings Made with AI
This project aims to create advanced, long-lasting dental filling materials using artificial intelligence to better suit each person's unique mouth.
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Understanding the Elusive Bacteria in Your Mouth
This project aims to understand a tiny, mysterious bacteria called TM7 that lives in our mouths and becomes more common when gums are inflamed.
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Understanding How Bacteria Arrange Themselves in Your Mouth
This project explores how the arrangement of bacteria in your mouth impacts your overall health, especially your blood pressure.
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Targeting acid-making mouth bacteria to prevent tooth decay
This work is creating mouth-safe treatments that turn on in acidic spots to reduce cavity-causing bacteria for people at risk of tooth decay.
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Investigating how a specific protein affects oral cancer growth
This study is looking at how a protein called LOX-PP affects the growth of oral cancer and the way the immune system responds, with the goal of finding new ways to improve treatment for people with oral squamous cell carcinoma.
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Understanding how aging cells affect salivary gland function in Sjögren’s syndrome
This study is looking at how aging cells might be causing problems in the salivary glands of people with Sjögren’s syndrome, and it will test a special drug that could help improve saliva production and oral health for those affected.
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Mapping the Genes of Bacteria in Your Mouth
This project helps us understand the genes within the bacteria in your mouth to learn how they affect your health and well-being.
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Understanding how microbes interact in the oral microbiome
This study is looking at how different germs in your mouth work together and stick to each other, which can help us understand how your oral health affects your overall health.
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Understanding how a specific bacteria affects gum disease
This study is looking at how a bacteria called Porphyromonas gingivalis, which is known to cause gum disease, creates its protective outer layer and how it becomes more harmful, with the goal of understanding how it affects your oral health.
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Understanding the Germs in Your Mouth and Nose
This project helps scientists learn more about the tiny living things in our mouths and noses to better understand how they affect our health.
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Understanding tooth development and signaling mechanisms
This study is looking into how teeth develop and what goes wrong when some teeth are missing, with the hope of finding new ways to help replace them better than current options like implants.
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Understanding how some Indigenous children resist cavities
This study is looking at how some Indigenous children who are at high risk for cavities might be naturally protected from them, by exploring the good bacteria in their mouths and the role of saliva, to find ways to help prevent cavities for these kids and others too.
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Internships for high school students in oral health research
This program is designed for high school students from underserved communities to explore careers in oral health and science through hands-on research projects, skill training, and informative seminars, all while promoting diversity and a sense of belonging.
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Understanding inflammation in children's teeth with enamel defects
This study is looking at how certain nerves and bacteria can cause pain and sensitivity in kids with soft spots on their teeth, and the researchers want to find better ways to help these children feel better and improve their dental health.
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Understanding how genes control the development of the skull and face.
This study is looking at how certain genes help shape the skull and how problems with these genes can lead to conditions like craniosynostosis, which affects how the skull forms, with the hope of finding better treatments for people with craniofacial issues.
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Understanding and preventing neural tube defects in newborns
This study is looking into why some babies are born with spina bifida, a condition where the spine doesn’t close properly, by using special mice to find important genes and signals that could help prevent this issue, which could lead to better outcomes for affected babies.
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Intermittent fasting may improve salivary gland function in Sjögren’s syndrome
This study is looking at how intermittent fasting might help improve the function of salivary glands in people with Sjögren’s syndrome, a condition that causes dry mouth, by encouraging the growth of healthy cells and protecting against damage.
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Investigating how inflammation affects oral bacteria and gum disease
This study is looking at how certain bacteria in your mouth affect your immune system when you have gum disease, and it will test if a special molecule can help reduce inflammation and bring everything back to normal.
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How small RNA molecules from the host interact with oral bacteria
This study is looking at tiny molecules from our cells that might help our immune system manage the good and bad bacteria in our mouths, which could lead to better ways to keep our oral health in check.
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Understanding the role of specific bacteria in gum disease and inflammation
This study is looking at a special group of bacteria in your mouth called Saccharibacteria to see how they interact with other bacteria and affect gum health, especially for people dealing with periodontal disease.
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Understanding a unique group of bacteria in the mouth
This study is looking at a type of bacteria called TM7 that lives in our mouths and can increase when we have gum problems like gingivitis or periodontitis, to better understand how these bacteria interact with others and how they might affect our oral health.
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Developing advanced dental materials for better dental restorations
This study is working on new dental materials that are strong, easy to use, and made just for you, so they can help fix your teeth and keep them healthy for longer.
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